


Nobody Puts Enjy In A Corner

by purple_embroidery



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dancer Grantaire, Dancing, Dirty Dancing AU, F/M, I Don't Even Know, M/M, don't look at me like that, this is entirely Tumblr's fault, well if 1963 is modern
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-09-23
Updated: 2013-09-23
Packaged: 2017-12-27 10:55:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/977994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purple_embroidery/pseuds/purple_embroidery
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was the summer of 1963, and Enjolras had been dragged to Kellerman's in the mountains for his last holiday before college.<br/>He was expecting to be bored out of his mind.<br/>Then he met a certain dance teacher.<br/>While carrying a watermelon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nobody Puts Enjy In A Corner

**Author's Note:**

> So someone on Tumblr said they wanted to see this, so during a bout of insomnia last night I plotted it out, and then I wrote it. 
> 
> I know, the title is awful. It's all I could think of.
> 
> Conversations between characters are inspired by but not direct quotes from the movie, because a) that's too much effort and b) that's too much effort.
> 
> It's completely unbetaed, and slightly rushed, but it got the damn thing out of my head so I'm not complaining.
> 
> I'm embroideredcupcake on Tumblr if you want to chat/yell/throw things

Enjolras got out of the car and sighed as he looked around. Another summer stuck at a snobbish resort instead of being able to do anything useful, like prepare for college. He was glad for his family's sake, of course, his father's career would benefit from the work he'd get as the resort owner's personal physician, and this was the kind of place his sister and mother thrived in, but.  _Ugh_. 

Lisa started panicking when she saw the groups of young men who were either staying or working at the resort: she checked her make-up in her mirror in a panic and began fretting about the shoes she'd left behind. Enjolras sighed again, but turned sharply when the resort owner, Mr Kellerman himself, came up to them, clutching at his father's arms and telling the family how much better they'd feel after a few weeks at his resort.

Enjolras started helping the porter get the family's luggage out of the car, but he was soon stopped by his father and before he could do anything else the whole family had been dragged into a mambo class.

The woman leading it was pretty, he supposed, but dancing wasn't really his thing, and being forced to partner little old ladies and leering middle-aged women became old very quickly.

  
A few hours later Enjolras was sick of reading. "Mum, Dad, I'm going to have a look around. Back in a while!" The scenery was worth his time, even if nothing else was, and he decided to spend as much time as he could in the hills and forests that surrounded the resort grounds. He walked up to the balcony in the main building as it started to get dark, and stopped as he overheard Mr Kellerman's voice coming from inside.

"Now, I picked you boys because of your nice college educations, but also cos of your looks. Now, when you aren't in here working I want you to be out there charming the young men and women who are our guests. I don't care how you swing, I don't care what they look like. Show 'em all a good time, even if they're dogs. But that doesn't extend beyond kissing. No bedroom shenanigans. Keep it in your pants."  
Enjolras was suddenly furious, and would have loved to have walked inside and started giving the owner a piece of his mind, but the speech was interrupted by a rougher-looking group of young men who walked in from the main entrance. Nearly all of them were wearing a uniform of some kind, dark pants and fitted t-shirts. The man walking ahead, however, was wearing a fitted leather jacket, tight-as-sin jeans and sunglasses perched on top of messy dark curls. Enjolras felt a spike of interest as he moved to get a better view, but it quickly turned to anger again as Mr Kellerman turned to address them.  
"Ah, the entertainment," he sneered. "Your rules are different. Teach my guests the dances I want them to know, treat them politely, and stay away from them completely outside of classes. I don't hire you to fraternise."  
The man with the sunglasses rolled his eyes, but he and his group left quietly. Enjolras could hear the wait-staff moving closer to the door where he stood in shadow, and he fled back to his cabin.

An hour later Enjolras and Lisa sat with their parents at dinner. Where Enjolras was slumped and quiet, Lisa was bouncy and enthusiastic, already starting a flirtation with their assigned waiter, a medical student named Montparnasse. Mr Kellerman had visited their table once the main meal had finished, joking with his mother about their leftover food while Enjolras's father spoke with pride about how Enjolras would one day change the world. A sleazy smile spread on Mr Kellerman's face as he turned to Lisa. "And what are you gonna do with your life, little lady?" Enjolras plastered a smile on his face as he said "if I'm going to change the world, Lisa will decorate it." Montparnasse smiled as he winked at Lisa, “oh, but she already does.”

After dinner Mr Kellerman introduced Enjolras and Lisa to his nephew, a nondescript young man who was going to be Kellerman's successor. Enjolras forgot his name instantly but spent the next hour desperately trying to remember it again as he was forced to dance with him.   
"So, you're going to college in the fall, I hear?"  
Enjolras smiled politely as he replied. "That's right."  
"What will your major be? Art?"  
"No, economics of underdeveloped countries. Then I'm joining the Peace Corps."  
The young man gave a creepy little smile as he tightened his arms around Enjolras. Enjolras tried not to show his disgust, and breathed a quiet sigh of relief when the song finished and he could move away from grasping hands.  
The mambo started playing, and the mambo instructor from earlier started dancing with the dark haired entertainer in the middle of the floor. Enjolras couldn't stop staring at them, as they moved in a way Mr Kellerman would clearly disapprove of.  Their hips were close and their hands were low, and Enjolras suddenly found himself wishing he could dance.

  
  
Enjolras walked around the edge of the lake. His parents were asleep and Lisa was enjoying the games run by the resort staff. His attention was drawn by loud music coming from a cabin in what looked like the staff quarters. He didn't think he should be getting any closer, but then he spotted the porter from earlier trying to walk upstairs with what looked like three massive watermelons in his arms.  
“Need a hand?”  
The porter's eyes widened. “Oh, shoot. You can't be here. No guests allowed.”  
“Well, if you don't want a hand...” Enjolras walked away slowly, waiting for a reply. It came quickly. “Can you keep a secret? Mr Kellerman can't know. Neither can your parents!”  
Enjolras grinned. “Of course I can. I'm Enjolras, by the way,” he said, taking the top watermelon from the pile.  
The porter straightened his back. “Thanks, that's better. I'm Courfeyrac, by the way. Now hurry up, I'm already late!” He turned and started walking away, leaving Enjolras to catch up.

Courfeyrac walked up to a set of double doors and pushed them open, nearly losing his armfuls of fruit as he overbalanced. Enjolras laughed and followed him into a darkened room, full of music and couples dancing close together. His eyes widened – this was much more interesting than the mambo. Bodies writhed together and hands were everywhere under the dim overhead lights. There were men without shirts dancing with women in tight dresses, men with tattoos decorating their arms dancing with other men, women in short shorts dancing with other women. It was hard to tell in some cases where one body started and the other began. The room reeked of alcohol and sweat, and Enjolras couldn't look away.

Courfeyrac took back the watermelon from Enjolras's arms just as the dancing couple from earlier came into the room and immediately started moving together. Courfeyrac pointed him out. “That guy there, that's my cousin, Grantaire. He got me the job here. And dancing with him, that's Eponine. They've been dancing together for years.”  
“They look great together!” shouted Enjolras over the music.  
“Don't they, though? You'd think they were together. Nah, they've just been friends since we were all kids. She's not his... not his type, I guess.”  
Enjolras tried not to think too hard about why that thought sent a shiver of relief through him.  
  
The music stopped, and everyone applauded. Grantaire started moving through the crowd, his eyes narrowing as they fell on Courfeyrac and Enjolras at the edge of the crowd.  
“Yo, Courfeyrac! What's he doing here? You know the rules!”  
Courfeyrac grinned. “I asked him! He helped me out.”  
Enjolras piped up with“I carried a watermelon,” then cringed as he realised how dumb that sounded.  
Grantaire just glared at them both, and walked away.

The next song began, and Grantaire suddenly appeared back at Enjolras's side. He dragged him into the crowd, and started dancing again, encouraging Enjolras to move the way he was, knees bent and hips thrusting. It took a few moments for Enjolras to relax, but then they were dancing as if they were glued together at the hips. Grantaire had a sheen of sweat on his face and down his chest, and Enjolras couldn’t stop staring. But the song ended, and all of a sudden Grantaire was gone.

  
The next morning Enjolras and Lisa were lying by the lake, Enjolras reading and Lisa flirting with anyone who walked by. Montparnasse walked past, stopping by Lisa's feet to discuss the car he was saving up for. Enjolras's gaze wandered past them, and he spotted Eponine a few feet away, watching Montparnasse closely. Enjolras stood up and walked over to her.  
“Hi, Eponine. I'm Enjolras. Um, I just wanted to say that I think you're a fantastic dancer. You should be on Broadway or something.”  
Eponine stared at him for a second. “Thanks, kid. But my parents threw me out at sixteen, I've been dancing ever since. It used to be what I wanted to do, now it's the only thing I _can_ do.”  
“I envy you,” Enjolras said, trying to convey how lucky he thought she was, “being able to do what you want.”  
Eponine rolled her eyes, and walked away. Enjolras stood there for a moment, wishing he was better at talking to people, then slowly walked back to Lisa.

  
Enjolras stood with his parents in a gazebo near the shoreline. Mr Kellerman and his nephew (Neil, his name was Neil) approached them, and Neil managed to drag Enjolras outside for a walk, Enjolras not wanting to cause a scene in front of his parents.  
  
“Your hair looks so beautiful in the moonlight,” Neil whispered into Enjolras's ear. The hair on the back of Enjolras's neck stood on end, and he swallowed down an angry retort. “It's just blonde, I've never seen anything special about my hair,” he said cheerily, with a fake smile hurting his cheeks. “But I should go, anyway, my parents will be looking for me.”  
Neil grabbed his hand as he tried to walk away. “Don't worry, baby, if they think you're with me they'll be the happiest people in the whole resort. I happen to be a pretty big deal around here.”  
“I'm sure you are,” Enjolras said quietly, as he tried to pull away.  
“I mean, it's not just my charm. I do own two hotels, you know-”  
Neil broke off as they heard people crashing through the trees behind them. With a sense of nausea, Enjolras realised it was his sister and the waiter, Montparnasse.  
“Parnasse! I don't hear an apology!”  
“So go back to Mommy and Daddy and get one from them! Or maybe you'll hear one tonight - _in your dreams._ ”  
Neil hugged Enjolras to him as they watched the other couple storm back to the party. Enjolras was feeling too sick to object at first, but he rapidly tired of Neil's wandering hands, so when Neil offered to get him something to eat he quickly agreed. At least that might get them in the sight of other people.

  
“So, Enjy – I can call you that, right? – what would you like? There's desserts, salad, I make a mean club sandwich,” said Neil, leaning into the massive fridge in the kitchen, totally absorbed by his own stomach. Luckily he was, because Enjolras had heard a noise coming from further in the kitchen – it was Eponine, slumped on the floor, and she was crying like her heart had broken. Enjolras made a decision.  
“Look, Neil, I might just head back out there and check on Lisa. She looked a bit upset.” He steered them both out of the kitchen, and when Neil had left him for the night Enjolras sprinted to the gazebo, and found Courfeyrac on the edge of the dance floor.  
“Hey, Enj, what's up?”  
“I need you to grab Grantaire, right now. I just found Eponine, in the kitchens, and she's really upset.”  
Courfeyrac's face fell, and he quickly located Grantaire in the crowd, and the three of them ran back up to the kitchens.  
Enjolras fell behind, and when he caught up he could hear Grantaire and Courfeyrac arguing. “What the hell is _he_ doing here, anyway?” Grantaire snarled, with a dirty look back at Enjolras.  
Courfeyrac grimaced back at Enjolras as he said “well, he might be useful if Neil comes back.”  
Grantaire said nothing, and the three of them kept moving.  
Enjolras tugged on Courfeyrac's sleeve. “What's wrong with her, anyway? With Eponine?”  
It was Grantaire who answered, with a look of panic on his face. “She's pregnant.” 

They reached the kitchens, and Grantaire rushed straight to Eponine, a look of tenderness on his face that Enjolras hadn't expected as he swept her up in his arms and carried her to the staff quarters where they'd held the dance. Courfeyrac poured Eponine a drink, and Grantaire held her while she cried.  
“Ep, baby, why didn't you come to me? You know I'll always help you.”  
“Grantaire, I couldn't. I can't take any more of your money. And even if I could, it won't be enough. Not this time. The quack needs $250.” Eponine broke down sobbing onto Courfeyrac's shoulder.  
“Can I help?” Enjolras asked quietly.  
“You? What the hell could you do? You'd just run and tell your asshole Kellerman boyfriend and we'd all get fired. Why are you even here?” Eponine's eyes were like fire as she stared at Enjolras. Enjolras stared back, and he didn't blink.  
“Look, Parnasse has money. He was telling my sister this morning about his savings. If you just tell him-”  
Eponine smashed her glass onto the floor. “He knows, okay! I told Parnasse, and he cut me off. He wants nothing to do with me. He's already moved on. Go back to your Kellerman boyfriend, Enjolras. You can't help me.”  
Enjolras lowered his eyes and left, glancing once more at Grantaire as he closed the door.

  
Enjolras confronted Montparnasse the next morning, but it was a lost cause.  
“Some people matter, Enjy, and some people don't. Things that matter to me are earning enough here to get my car, staying in the lifestyle I like, and having some fun along the way. A dumb broad gets knocked up, that's her problem, not mine. And who's to say it was was even my fault? Girl like that gets around. Now run along, Enjy. I'm busy.”

  
  


Enjolras found his parents on the golf course, and took a deep breath as he planned his speech. “Daddy? Can I talk to you?”  
“Sure, Enjy. What's wrong?”  
“I have a friend, and they're in trouble. And you always said I should help friends in trouble. But this time I can't really help them, without some help from you. But... but I can't tell you what it is. I just need you to trust me that it's important. I... I need to borrow $250.”  
His father stared at him in shock for a moment. “Look, Enj, I always want to help, but that's a lot to ask. Why can't you tell me?”  
Enjolras went red, and dropped his gaze in shame. “It's not my secret to tell, Daddy. But I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important.”  
His father sighed. “I wish you could tell me. But I trust you. You'll have the money before dinner.”  
  
  
Enjolras walked into the staff quarters later that night and pulled Eponine, Courfeyrac and Grantaire aside. He handed Eponine the money. She stared at him in shock. “Did Montparnasse come through?”  
Enjolras sighed. “No, he's a lost cause.”  
Eponine's gaze hardened. “Then forget it. I don't need your pity money.”  
She tried to storm away but Grantaire held her still. “ Take it, Eponine. It's your only chance. We can just skip the Musain this year.”  
Enjolras poked Courfeyrac “what's the Musain?”  
“It's their big gig of the year. Dance performance. But it'd be the same day that... that the quack's available. So I guess it's one or the other.”  
“Can't someone else fill in?”  
Grantaire turned at that.”No, Little Mr Peace Corps, someone else can't fill in. Everyone here has to work for a damn living, they don't have the time to learn a brand new routine by next Thursday.”  
Courfeyrac's eyes lit up. “Well, Little Mr Peace Corps here is free. Why can't he fill in?”  
Grantaire rolled his eyes and turned back to Eponine, but she was staring at Enjolras with something like hope in her eyes. “You know, Grantaire, he has the build for it. And the free time. He's a little green, sure, but you can lead anybody!”  
Grantaire, Courfeyrac and Eponine turned to stare at Enjolras. He suddenly felt ill, and about an inch tall, but if it meant spending more time with Grantaire...  
“Sure,” Enjolras said, hoping his voice came out without the fear he felt inside. “If you need me, I can do it.”  
  
  
  



End file.
